The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-10-20
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.


John G. Carlisle Tells What Democracy
Has Done far the Country and Why 1t
Should BE Continued in POwer-An Able
Document Based Upon History and Facts
Within the Recollection of Every Intel
hgent Reader.
Hon. John C. Carlisle, Speaker of
the House of Representatives for two
terms, contributes an able article on
the Continuance of Democratic Rule"
to recent issue of the Forum, from
which we quote as follows:
In undertaking to state some Of the reasons
Why the Democratic party should be continued
| in power, it is necessary. in the first instance
to call attention to the difference OF opinion be-
| tween the two existing parties concerning the
nature and extent of the Federal power under
| the constitution, because il is manifest that
! their administration of public affairs must be
! greatly influenced by their respective views
upon this fundamental question. This differ
| ence OF opiniCn has existed continuously since
| the organization OF the Government and has
always constituted, as il still does, the most
| clearly defined line of separation between po-
1 htlcal parties in this county. It would have
! been reasonable TO suppose that after nearly
/ hundred years OF practical administration OF
| the Government under the constitution, after
I
! est judicial tribunals, and after the thorough
| and able discussions that have taken place 1T
! every stage of the controversy, the relations
/ between the several States and their people
! and the Government OF the United States
! would be well understood, and their separate
/ rights and powers fully recognized by all par
| ties Such, however, is not the case In
theory and practice the Republican
| IaTty CT to-day is more extrayagant in its
! sert.on Of what it calls National author
ity' than lis Federa!st progenitOr was
century ago. During the short period between
the close Of the war and the year 1915, while IL
controlled the legislation in Congress it passed
Il greater number of unconstitutional enact
mentS than can be found il all the remainder
, of cur leg siative history. But st was not in
Congress alone that this dangerous tendency
toward the concentration and arbitrary exeF-
else of power was exhibited. The Executive
Department in all its branches, was equally
indifferent to the limitations imposed upon 1t
by the constitution and laws, and the Pres;-
dent was rapidly becoming W lat Patrick Hen
~ predicted he would be, IA Amerio..r Eng
So arrogant and intolerart was this -,rit OF en-
croachment upon the reserved ric, OF the
States and people, that the conseri tive ele-
ments in the country spontaneously combined
to resist it, and the consequence was hat since
the fourth day of March, 1875, but one Republic
an House OF Representatives has met
at Washington and in 1876 large
majority of the popular vote was cast
for the Democratic candidates for President
and Vice-President 1t is, perhaps, not going
too far to say that il the Eepubl can party had
not been deprived OF power in the popular
branch of the Legislative department and if
the warning OF 1876 had not been gwen by the
people, Our iederative system of government
would have been by this time substant ally
overthrow, and the right of local sell-gOvern-
ment, which lies at the very foundation OF our
free institutions would have been confined to
the narrowest possible limits.
1t is an indisputable historical fact that the
constitution of the United States was adopted
and the Union formed under it by the people Of
the several States each political community
acting separately and independently OF all
Others through Its own State organ cation. 1t
is equally un6enable that the Government
thus created by the people of the several
States was one of defined and limited powers,
and that all powers not delegated to it, nor pro-
hb:ted to the States, were, in the language of
the constitution itself, reserved 10 the States,
respectively, or to the people" This brief
statement comprehendS the whole Democratic
theory of constitutional government in this
country, and it must be evident
to every one who seriously reflects upon
the subject that 1t is the only theory upon
which the orderly and harmonious exer-
else Of State and Federal authority over the
maintained. Conflicts of authority necessarily
produce dissension and strife, and it there
fore essential to the repoSe OF the country that
the division of power between the State and
Federal governments shall be scrupulously
observed by the party in control OF the Admin
istration. Tie Importance of such q policy
was never greater or more apparent than now.
After hong period OF uncertainty and unrest
the whole country has finally adjusted Itself
10 the new conditions imposed by the war. and
oil that appears to be needed to insure an era
of great industrial and commercial prosperity
is a continued assurance that political and sec
tional controversies Will not be permitted to
disturb the pursuits of the people. The
present Democratic Administration, instead
of depressing business and arresting the devel-
opment of our sources as was pred cted, has
INSPIRED a feeling of confidence and secur-
ty that did not ex st before for more than q
quarter of century, and in every part of
the Union but more especially in the
South, capital has been invested, commercial
relations have been establ shed, and large en-
tcrprises have been projected upon the ia tn
that no further harsh or extraordinary polti-
cal measures would be adopted or attempted.
Unless all the present ind itions are de-
cer tive, the return OF the Republican party to
power would be Immediately followed by the
Introduction OF propositions still further to ex-
tend the supervision of the Federal autho-i-
people, and by an unnecessary and hurtiul re-
agitltion of race and sectional questions which
have already beea settled upon the precise
terms dictated by Itself. Having demonstrated
its incapacity to deal with the subject by at
tempting the political and social recoustruc-
ton Of the Southern States upon the irrational
theory that the people who had been slaves all
their lives, and who we're totally ignorant Of
the character Of our inst tutions, were the best
guard ans of our liberties, it now complains
that the newly enfranchised race does not ex-
eycise the power conferred upon it; and upon
this provocaton the country is threat
ened with a renewal OF the strife which
all patriotic citizens had hoped was
ended forever. Very little, if any, direct
evidence is produced to prove that the coiored
vote in the South is improperly suppressed or
controlled, but the returns of State and Con-
gress:onal elections are exhibited, showing
that only small port on OF the total vote in
the State or district Was actually cast, and
then it is assumed, without other testimony.
that violence or intimidation has prevented
the negro from exercising the right
the agtatcrs, the figures they produce
show exclusively that thousands OF
white Democrats failed to vote at the same
elections and their absence from the polls
must also be accounted for The truth is, that
the failure of both races to vote is attributed
to the same causes, and unless the Republican
party is prepared TO adopt compulsory suffrage.
il VIII find its efforts TO remove the present
ground OF complaint as frultless as its orig
ipsl attempt TO secure permanent asceadency
in the South by enfranchising the negro.
That there are individual and isolated cases
of unlawful interference, by both ces, with the
right of suffrage in the South, is doubtless true,
but the statement is true OF other parts OF the
couatry as well: and, IN fact in half the sccus-
rail-
e., the voter is much less free from coerciye and
corruptng Influences in the great centers OF